CA1314671C - Process for the granulating of sulphur and a sulphur granulator - Google Patents

Process for the granulating of sulphur and a sulphur granulator

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Publication number
CA1314671C
CA1314671C CA000546663A CA546663A CA1314671C CA 1314671 C CA1314671 C CA 1314671C CA 000546663 A CA000546663 A CA 000546663A CA 546663 A CA546663 A CA 546663A CA 1314671 C CA1314671 C CA 1314671C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
sulphur
disk
water
jet
granulator
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA000546663A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jose Horta Da Silva
Roberto Garcia
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras
Original Assignee
Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras filed Critical Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras
Priority to CA000546663A priority Critical patent/CA1314671C/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1314671C publication Critical patent/CA1314671C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01BNON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B17/00Sulfur; Compounds thereof
    • C01B17/02Preparation of sulfur; Purification
    • C01B17/0237Converting into particles, e.g. by granulation, milling

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Sulphur is obtained to the desired granulation and at the same time cooled by means of a directed hollow cylindrical jet of melted sulphur, on either side of which, i.e. both inside and outside the cylinder of molten sulphur, there are jets of cold water, the three jets directed onto a disk which disk is able to turn freely. The jets of water and sulphur strike the disk between the middle of the disk and its outer edge and make it turn, while at the same time the sulphur hardens into granules. The turning spins the granules off the disk. The fact that there are two jets of water leads to a better particle size of the sulphur and, because there is a better contact between the water and the sulphur, prevents any hardening of the sulphur upon the disk.

Description

3 1 , ) 7 1 Report describ;llg patent for invention - "IMPROVED PROCESS
FOR THE~ GRANUL~TING OF SULPHU~ AND A SULPHUR
GRANULATOR", which consists of solidi-lying sulphur in granules by me~ms of specially designed equipment, - where two jets of water come into touch with liquid sulphur upon a rotating disk.
Not only in the plants where sulphur is produced by synthetic processes but also in those where it is remelted to he purif;ed, one of the major difficulties met with still is how to pack it. The method followed has been to lead the melted sulphur into a cooling vessel or pool (usually a long and shallow one, for obvious reasons) where it soliclifies in a compact block. Such block is then mechanically broken up, for which the simplest of hand tools up to percussion vibrators, break the sulphur ;nto lumps that are packed and sent off to consumers.
Ihere are several drawbacks to this method: there must be a relatively large area for the pools; it is very difficult to break up the sulphur and lumps are not always of an even size; a great deal of labour is required (people to look later emptying in the melted sulphur and others to break it up in its solid state even though working with serni automatic tools only); and the risk of accidents when doing the breaking up.
l o overcome such shortcornings the applicant had developed a process and a granulator, which were described in Brazilian Patent No. PI
8001894, whereby the sulphur hardened rapidly at the unloading point and its granulation was even and could be governed. The granulator consisted of an assembly of a nozzle, a disk, and a bowl.
In Brazilian Patent No. PI 8001894 the nozzle had a hollow cylindrical jet of melted sulphur and within it there was a conical jet of water. Both Jets hit a disk on a shaft about which the disk could turn when struck by the water and the sulphur. The tilt of the disk could be graduated. The water and the sulphur hitting the disk off center made it spin, whereupon sulphur hardened into granules and was thrown off the disk by centrifugal force and went into a suitable bay.
However in the first assemblies so built, the water did not strike the 1 3 ~ t'~)7 1 su1phur well enough and this le~l to sulphur stalagmites appearing in the bay. Also the clesign of the nozzle from which the sulphur issued enabled a "cushion" of sulphur to grow upon the disk and the latter becoming heavier went past its optimum tilt. Such sulphur "cushions" also caused bigger lumps of sulphur to be created, standing out among the even size and finer particles in the rest of the pile. The "cushion" so created meant that the granulating chamber had to be brought to a stop.
A granulator has now been developed with a better nozzle whereby the process of squirting the water and the sulphur has been changed, the granulating process having thus been improved.
In this improved process part of the water is turned aside into an extra jet in the middle of the hollow cylindrical jet of melted sulphur. It hits the disk which is on a shaft able to turn freely whenever struch, between the center and the periphery of such disk, features of the process being that:
a) a jet of water is provided inside the cylinder made up by the aforesaid jet of sulphur;
b) a further jet of water is provided around the jet of sulphur;
c) the jets of water and sulphur hit the aforesaid disk;
d) sulphur hardens broken up into granules as a result of the two jets of water striking sulphur;
e) said granules and the water are spun ou$ beyond the surface of the disk which leaves the latter largely free from any hardened sulphur.
The granulator of this invention has a new nozzle with holes pointing downwards all round its circumference. It is provided with the means of letting jets of water out from below, one jet inwards of the cylinder that passes through the aforesaid circumference and the other jet outwards of such cylinder. There is also a disk on a shaft which can turn freely about such shaft, said disk lying below the holes in the nozzle. The liquid sulphur issu;ng from the holes does so as a jet which hits the disk between its center and its periphery. There is also a means of graduating 1 3 1 '1 J 7 1 the tilt of the disk.
In the drawings appended ~o this specification:
Figure 1 is ~ vertical section view of the no~zle of the granulator invented;
S Figure 2 is a section (AA' of figure 1) of the base of the nozzle, showing holes in such base; and Figure 3 is a section of the disk as it would be tilted in relation to the nozzle in figure 1.
A description of the invention follows, referred to figures 1, 2, and 3, which description is not a limiting one.
Pipe, 1, which is part of the means for conveying the melted sulphur connects the granulating equipment to a store of melted sulphur. Pipe 1 leads into chamber 6. Pipe 1 is surrounded by pipe 2 and the chamber is surrounded by liner 4 which is a continuation of pipe 2. Pipe 2 carries steam intended to keep the sulphur in a melted state until after it is ejected. Obviously liner 4 serves the same purpose. Steam comes in from inlet 3. The drain for the water condensed from the steam is not shown.
The bottom of chamber 6, which is round3 has a lot of holes, 5, arranged around the circumference concentrically with the outside edge of the round bottom of such chamber 6.
The number of holes may be different, but sixteen is usual. It should be noted that the holes must go through not only the bottom of chamber 6 but also the thickness of liner 4, before the sulphur can issue forth.
~or the invention the applicant used a metal ring, 17, which goes around the bottom of the chamber, its average radius being the same as that for the circumference described by the set of holes, such holes being drilled into the aforesaid ring. Small horizontal holes, 18, are arranged radially around the ring, so as to enable space at 19 to be provided with steam. Such small holes are at right-angles to holes 5, there being one for them between every two o-f holes 5. This arrangement turned out to be r~ 7 1 quite sturdy, however any other wllich lets the sulphur run through will do.
Chamber 6 ;s cylindr;cal in shape and to its side a ring-shaped p;pe, 8, is fixed, which may be provided with a support, 7. The cold water that comes in from inlet 9, circulates in such pipe 8.
S CoImected to pipe, ~, in front of inlet tube, 9, there is an opening, 10, which feeds water to the inside jet creating means described next.
Such opening, 10, lies at the end of horizontal pipe, 11, which continues within vertical pipe, 12, up to outlet, 13, leading downwards, which lies in the middle of the bottom of the chamber. Pipes 11 and 12 run within a pipe which is slightly wider in diameter, which means that there is a space around them. Such space lies between two walls, one hot and the other cold, since around such space 14 there is melted sulphur flowing and inside it (within 11 and 12) there is water flowing.
Let us now describe how the water jet gets out. Pipe 8, already mentioned, has a slit, 15, which runs all the way round the under side of the ring. ~he water jet comes through slit 15, concentrically with the sulphur jet, and encircling it.
Two small concentric walls, 16, are welded to the edges of such slit, all around such edges, thus enabling the water to flow more easily and creating a suitable outside jet.
The rat;o of the quantity of outside to inside jet water is usually 0.25 to 1.5.
Flanges or any other kind of usually employed device will serve to join the granulator to a source of supply.
Once pipes 1 and 9 have been fed with sulphur and water this invention can be put into practice.
In figure 3 the three jets are striking disk 20 which is on a shaft, 21, they strike the disk somewhere between its middle and its outside edge.
A diffuser may be placed ahead of outlet 13 so as to impart a conical shape to the inside jet of water.
Anyway, the three jets will make the disk turn according to the 131 '!-~)71 Anyway, the three jets will make the dislc tLlrn according to the quant;ty of force imparted thereto. Jets will make disk, 20~ turn faster or slower accorcling to how it is ~ilted, and such tilt may be to either side. In the figure the angle alpha, that between the disk and the horizontal, ma~
S be either upwards or downwards. Tilt of the disk is governed by suitable means, it being the shaft that it tilted and this ~hich can be done by sliding screws, for instance. Rate of turn is ~lso a function of speed at which sulphur and water flow.
When the disk is turning and the jets are striking it the water will cause the sulphur to harden evenly in small granules which will issue by centrifugal force and gather in a container not shown in the figure.
With two jets of water wetting is thorough, and also less sulphur fumes are given off, while no "cushions" at all appear on the disk nor stalagmites in the pools. Also the inside jet does not have to be conical lS and even so water-sulphur contact is excellent.
An important parameter used to checll~ on the quality of the sulphur secured under this process is particle size. It is a very important point in the process, for if the sulphur hardens in big lumps it will become difficult to get it out, while on the other hand, if the droplets of sulphur are too small there will be a great deal of fines which will be dragged away by the water and large si~e separators will be needed to reco~er such sulphur out of the cooling water. The optimum particle size is arri~ed at by matching the diameter of holes, 5, that let the sulphur into the nozzle, to the pressure and rate of flow of the cooling water.
Table I shows typical particle size of output from an industrial plant:
Table (I) % Aggregate Screen Retained ~o retained _ 1/4"............. 7.87..... 7.87 S mesh Tyler..... 12.79.... 20.66 1 ~ 1 Ll 6 7 1 16 mesh Tyler.... 30.53.. 83.59 24 mesh Tyl~r.... 5.32... 88.91 28 mesh Tyler.... 1.59... 90.50 42 mesh Tyler.... 3.91... g4.41 60 mesh Tyler.... 1.87... 96.28 80 mesh Tyler.. e... 1.07... 97.35 i 80 mesh Tyler.... 2.65... 100.00 A second important parameter concerning the quality of the sulphur is its moisture content. At first glance it would seem that since so much 10water is used in the process the sulphur output would be very wet, but this is not so.
The water drains rapidly away from the pile so that the moisture content of the sulphur becomes reasonable after a few hours, as is to be seen from Table II.
15TABLE (II) Sulphur moisture content Hours % bv wei~ht .................................. 6.5 -------------------16 ...................................... 6.0 ----------.................................. 5.0 --------38 .................................. ~.7 ----------63 .................................. 4.2 ----------

Claims (18)

1. IMPROVED PROCESS FOR GRANULATING SULPHUR
in which a hollow cylindrical jet of melted sulphur strikes a disk resting on a shaft and able to turn freely upon being struck in any way, between the middle of and the outer edge of such disk, whereby:
a) a jet of water is provided inside the cylinder produced by such jet of sulphur;
b) another jet of water is provided surrounding such jet of sulphur;
c) the jets of water and sulphur strike such disk;
d) the sulphur hardens broken up in granules as a result of the two jets of water striking it;
e) such granules and the water are spun out beyond the surface of the disk, and the latter is substantially free from any hardened sulphur.
2. IMPROVED PROCESS FOR GRANULATING
SULPHUR, as under claim 1, whereby at least one of the jets of water takes the shape of a cone.
3. IMPROVED PROCESS FOR GRANULATING
SULPHUR, as under claim 1, whereby the two jets of water strike the disk together with the jet of sulphur.
4. IMPROVED PROCESS FOR GRANULATING
SULPHUR, as under claim 1, whereby the ratio between outer and inner jet water is from 0.25 to 1.5.
5. IMPROVED PROCESS FOR GRANULATING
SULPHUR, as under claim 1, whereby the jets of water and sulphur are vertical, and the disk is tilted.
6. IMPROVED PROCESS FOR GRANULATING
SULPHUR, as under claim 1, whereby the size of the granules of sulphur arrived at is inclined to become smaller as turning speed of such disk rises.
7. SULPHUR GRANULATOR provided with a means of conveying the melted sulphur to an outlet nozzle, whereby:
a) such nozzle has 5 holes pointing downwards and arranged around the circumference of the nozzle;
b) a disk is provided, 20, resting on a shaft, 21, able to turn freely, which disk lies below the holes, 57 SO that the sulphur issuing from the holes strikes the disk between its middle and its outer edge;
c) means to change the tilt of the disk are provided;
d) means is provided for two jets of water to issue downwards, one jet being on the inside of the cylinder and passing by said circumference and the other on the outside of said cylinder.
8. SULPHUR GRANULATOR, as under claim 7, whereby the means for the outside jet of water to issue consists of a ring-shaped pipe with a slit all along the under side of such ring-shaped pipe.
9. SULPHUR GRANULATOR, as under claim 7, whereby the means for the outlet of the inside jet of water joining the corresponding means for the outside jet is a pipe, 11, which crosses the means for conveying the melted sulphur.
10. SULPHUR GRANULATOR, as under claim 9, whereby there is a space, 14, between pipe 11 and the means of conveying the melted sulphur.
11. SULPHUR GRANULATOR, as under claim 7, whereby the pipe that conveys the sulphur and the parts of the aforesaid outlet nozzle are surrounded by a liner and heated by a fluid.
12. SULPHUR GRANULATOR, as under claim 7, whereby the rate at which the disk turns depends on the tilt thereof.
13. In a sulphur granulator provided with a means of conveying melted sulphur to an outlet nozzle, the improvement which comprises:
the nozzle has a circumference which contains holes pointing downwards, the holes being arranged around the circumference of the nozzle and being adapted to issue a cylindrical stream of sulphur;

a disk is provided which rests on a freely rotating shaft, the disk being provided below the holes in the circumference of the nozzle so that the cylindrical stream of sulphur issuing from the holes in the nozzle strikes the disk between the middle of the disk and the outer edge of the disk, the disk being provided with means to change the tilt of the disk; and means being provided for two jets of water to issue downwards to contact the cylindrical stream of sulphur issuing from the holes in the nozzle and striking the disk, one jet being on the inside of the cylindrical stream of sulphur and passing by the circumference of the nozzle and the other being on the outside of the cylindrical stream of sulphur, wherein said two jets of water come into contact with the liquid sulphur upon contacting said disk.
14. A sulphur granulator as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means for the outside jet of water consists of a ring-shaped pipe with a slit all along the underside of the ring-shaped pipe, the outside jet of water issuing from said slit along the underside of the ring-shaped pipe and surrounding the cylindrical stream of sulphur.
15. A sulphur granulator as claimed in claim 13, wherein the jet on the inside of the cylindrical stream of sulphur is formed by a means joining the means for forming the outside jet of water by a pipe which crosses means for conveying the melted sulphur.
16. A sulphur granulator as claimed in claim 15 where there is a space between the pipe and the means for conveying the melted sulphur.
17. A sulphur granulator as claimed in claim 13 wherein the means for conveying the melted sulphur and the outlet nozzle are surrounded by a liner and heated by a fluid.
18. A sulphur granulator as claimed in claim 13 wherein the rate at which the disk turns is dependent on the tilt of the disk.
CA000546663A 1987-09-11 1987-09-11 Process for the granulating of sulphur and a sulphur granulator Expired - Fee Related CA1314671C (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000546663A CA1314671C (en) 1987-09-11 1987-09-11 Process for the granulating of sulphur and a sulphur granulator

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000546663A CA1314671C (en) 1987-09-11 1987-09-11 Process for the granulating of sulphur and a sulphur granulator

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1314671C true CA1314671C (en) 1993-03-23

Family

ID=4136421

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000546663A Expired - Fee Related CA1314671C (en) 1987-09-11 1987-09-11 Process for the granulating of sulphur and a sulphur granulator

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1314671C (en)

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